


Saving My Life

by seasonofthegeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien and Marinette trying to protect each other, Chat Blanc - Freeform, akumatized Adrien/Chat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-02-16 14:23:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18693310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: Marinette is angry when Chat Noir disappears and the dark-haired, magenta-eyed Chat Blanc begins showing up and terrorizing the city until she finds out Chat Blanc isn't entirely what he appears.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is one made up of drabbles so there is no rhyme or reason to when I update or how long or short an update will be but I wanted to compile the parts here for easier reading. :)

“Just because you saved my life doesn’t mean I owe you anything,” Marinette fumed, glaring across the rooftop at Chat Blanc. “You still have no right to be parading around and pretending to be some discount Chat Noir.”

Chat Blanc closed the distance between them and leaned into Marinette’s space so she had to take a couple of steps back, her calves knocking against the low roof ledge. He looped a steadying arm around her with a leer. “And what makes you think I’m not him, Princess?” 

“Because he would never treat people the way you do.”

His eyes narrowed and he moved away from her once more. “Maybe he got tired of being a pushover.”

“Chat Noir is not a pushover,” Marinette argued. “Have you ever tried to get him to stop doing something? Because let me tell you, he doesn’t give up easily.”

Chat Blanc tried not to smile. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” she glared. “So just know that if you had anything to do with his disappearance, I will personally end you.” She crossed her arms and shot him a challenging look.

“You know, you’re a lot feistier than most people think.”

“I don’t like bad things happening to my friends. If I need to be feisty to prevent something, I will be. And if that means going up against you, I can do that too,” she huffed.

He squeezed his eyes shut. “I’m trying to protect you,” he said softly.

“What?”

Chat Blanc glanced around, dark hair shifting over magenta eyes as he did. “Mari, please, you have to let me do this.”

Marinette swallowed hard, studying his face. “Chat?”

“If I didn’t voluntarily join him, he would’ve forced me,” he continued, eyes darting to hers for a moment before watching the night around them once more. “At least this way, I can control what happens sometimes.”

She felt her heart rate increase and reached a tentative hand up to brush the wild dark hair from his eyes. “Kitty?”

He nuzzled his cheek to her palm. “I know who Hawk Moth is,” he whispered, eyes sliding closed. “I’m going to take him down but I need more time. Being Chat Blanc gives me that time.”

“You need to tell Ladybug. She could–”

“No,” he interrupted fiercely, shooting her a hard look. “I don’t want her to know. She’ll try to save me and I love her for that but this is something I have to do and I won’t be able to if I’m trying to keep her safe.” He deflated a little. “She has to think Chat Noir is gone for now.”

“She’s never going to give up on him,” Marinette warned. “Ever.”

Chat Blanc gave her a sad smile. “I hope not. That’s what keeps me going.”

“I want to be able to fix this. I don’t want you to have to be like this.”

“Hopefully I won’t be for much longer. Soon you’ll be calling me a silly kitty again and kicking me out of your room for eating too many cookies.”

“If you need help, promise me you’ll talk to Ladybug. Heck, come talk to me and I’ll talk to Ladybug!”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” he nodded. “But for now, I need to make a show of stranding you on this rooftop. There are people watching from that building to the left. The access door should be unlocked so make a fuss about me abandoning you and then go straight home.”

“Please be careful.”

Chat Blanc shot her a wink and then was pulling her to him, crushing his lips against hers before pushing her away and jumping off the roof. Marinette swallowed her fear and yelled angrily as he disappeared into the darkness. Feeling completely drained, she made her way to the access door and found it unlocked. “Please be careful, Kitty,” she said again before taking sanctuary in the building.


	2. Chapter 2

“Your fight with Ladybug was interesting last night,” Gabriel mused without glancing up from his monitor. “You’re still holding back.”

“I told you I didn’t want to hurt her, Father. That hasn’t changed. She’s still my friend.” Adrien sat straight in the chair across from him, back stiff. 

“If you would let me truly akumatize you, you wouldn’t be so hindered.”

Adrien rubbed his thumb along the side of the warm black ring Plagg was trapped in currently. “No thank you.”

Gabriel’s eyes sharpened on him. “You have until the end of the week, Adrien. If you can’t procur the earrings by Sunday, I’ll finish the ritual on the ring that began your new transformation and whatever happens to her, happens.”

“I’ll get them.”

“See that you do.” 

“And make sure you don’t forget what you promised. It almost sounds like you did.”

Gabriel’s expression softened. “I know this isn’t easy now but it’ll all be worth it. I promise.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“If any harm befalls Ladybug, I’ll make sure it is reversed,” Gabriel sighed, tone tired.

Adrien clenched his jaw. It would do him no good to start the argument again. His father agreeing to at least reverse the damage if any occurred while taking the earrings had taken hours of yelling and arguing as it was. “Thank you,” he ground out.  
________________________

Chat Blanc prowled along the city in agitation. He needed to talk to Ladybug. Maybe if he explained things…

No.

He needed to stay as far away from her as possible. Maybe he could stall Gabriel a little longer until he figured something out. The way she’d looked at him last night during their fight was still eating at him. Her eyes had lost the angry, fierce light they’d blazed with in their previous altercations since his change. If anything, they held pity now. Pity and determination.

Did she know? No one knew except…

He found himself going in the direction of Marinette’s home and stopped short when he saw a thick white ribbon tied around the railing of her balcony. Was that for him? He landed on the balcony with a soft thud and gently held the tied ribbon between his fingers.

“I was hoping you would see it.”

He turned his head enough to see Marinette coming up from her skylight. “You shouldn’t do things like this. We don’t need to be seen together.”

“No one else is going to see a white ribbon and think of you,” she huffed. “Besides, it got you here. That’s what I wanted.”

Chat Blanc peered out along the city. “Someone could see us.”

“Then come on.” She grabbed his hand and tugged, leading him back down into her bedroom. She settled onto her lounger, crossing her legs beneath her. “Are you hungry?” She pointed to a plate of cookies on her desk. 

“How did you know I would come tonight?”

“I didn’t. That ribbon’s been out there a few nights now.”

“And the cookies?”

“I was hopeful.”

He worried his lip for a moment before grabbing a cookie and sitting down in one of the desk chairs to keep distance between them. “Did you need something?”

Marinette took a deep breath and straightened with a nod. “We need to talk.”

“Okay.” They looked at each other expectantly and after a moment, Chat Blanc took a bite of the cookie and chewed thoughtfully. “I kinda thought you would be the one to start.”

“I’m psyching myself up to it.”

“That bad, huh?” he winced and quickly took another bite of cookie. 

“I don’t like you with dark hair.”

Chat Blanc blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“And your eyes are all wrong.”

“I–”

“But they’re still your eyes,” she continued, expression screwed into a grimace. “I can see you in there which is infuriating because I can’t pretend it isn’t you anymore.”

He stood then. “Maybe I should go.”

“The white doesn’t suit you. Well, to be honest, it does but I don’t like it.”

“Marinette, if you’re just going to kick me when I’m down–”

“And I’m not just Marinette.”

Chat Blanc paused, turning back to look at her. “What does that mean?”

“It means that you should’ve come to me from the very beginning, Chaton. You know I would help you any way I could.” She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes as she continued. “It was breaking my heart to fight you. I was literally crying myself to sleep because I couldn’t believe that you would…” Her words broke off as she finally looked up at him. “Please let me help you.”

He swallowed hard. “Ladybug?”

“Surprise,” she said weakly. 

He sat back down heavily in the desk chair. “This is…wow.”

“I never really expected it to go down this way, just so you know.”

“You always disappear too. It makes sense,” he nodded, almost talking to himself. “Alya complains about it to Nino. I just never thought about the timing.”

“You’re in my class then. I was wondering.”

He shook himself from his thoughts and looked across the room at her. “I don’t think I should tell you who I am. It’s not safe.”

“And it’ll tell me who Hawk Moth is?” she added weakly. “I have theories.”

He tried not to shake. “Like what?”

“Like Hawk Moth must be someone close to you, and I’m guessing you didn’t know until recently. Maybe when you changed?” She stood from the lounger but didn’t move closer to him. “Tikki said your energy was off, like something is wrong with your kwami.”

Chat Blanc closed his hand bearing his ring into a fist. “It’s some kind of binding spell. It trapped Plagg in the ring and when I transformed, I was like this.”

Marinette took a cautious step forward. “Can he talk to you like this, like he does with akumas?”

He shook his head. “Not yet, but he keeps pushing for it. I think he’s tapped into the city’s security cameras though. He sees everything. He might know I’m here, but I did try to keep to the shadows.”

She took another step and Chat Blanc immediately stepped back so she held her ground. “Do you feel different?”

“Sometimes,” he whispered. 

“Like when we’ve fought?”

“I held back when I could. My head gets fuzzy sometimes though and it’s like I’ve blacked out and someone else was in the driver seat.”

“Are you scared?”

“Terrified.”

“I think I could tell when you were in control,” she nodded and chanced another step. “You could’ve used Cataclysm on me a few times and didn’t.”

He made a choking sound. “I would never…” His shoulders sagged and Marinette was suddenly there, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her cheek to his chest. 

“I know, Kitty,” she whispered. “It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.”

________________________

“I have to go,” Chat Blanc murmured miserably. “It’s late.”

“You could stay,” Marinette offered with a yawn. They were stretched out on her lounger, the room around the mostly dark except for the small light near Marinette’s bed. 

“I can’t.”

“Adrien…”

He stiffened beside her. “How did you know?”

“It wasn’t hard to put together once we started talking,” she admitted. “I had a mild freak out when I went down to get drinks.”

“I’m so sorry. I–”

“Stop.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “So it’s your dad, right?”

“Yes,” he said softly as she pulled her hand away.

“And this has something to do with your mom?”

“Yes.”

“I think we should go to Fu.”

Chat Blanc frowned. “I can’t. Not after what I’ve done with my Miraculous. He’ll take it away.”

“He won’t.”

“He will,” he insisted, voice pleading. “My Lady, please don’t.”

“You said you have a week to get my earrings?”

He shuddered and nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t know if I trust that. He’s getting impatient and he doesn’t care if he hurts you.”

Determination settled into her eyes. “Okay, we’ll figure something out.” She gently disentangled herself and stood. “But for now, I want you to drop your transformation.”

His eyes widened. “Why?”

“Because it’ll be more comfortable when you sleep.”

“I can’t stay.”

“Sleep a few hours and then we’ll start planning,” she insisted. “Please. This will be my compromise for not going to Fu.” She crossed her arms. “If I have to tie you to the lounger for a few hours, I will, but that seems even less comfortable.”

Chat Blanc gave her a sheepish smile. “Guess I have no choice then, huh?” His transformation fell in halting bursts, nothing like the natural way of before.

“Is that normal for you?”

Adrien flushed, unable to look up at Marinette. “Since Plagg got stuck, yeah.”

“We’ll fix it.”

He took a deep breath and the shadow of a smile ghosted along his lips before disappearing again. “You’re always so sure of yourself.”

“I’m really not,” she admitted. “I’m running at eighty percent hot mess most of the time.” She sat down beside him once more, knocking her shoulder against his. “But with you by my side, we can do anything, right?”

For the first time in weeks, Adrien felt hope like a small warm flame beginning in his chest. “Right.”


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette ran her fingers along the white ribbon with a frown. It’d been three nights since Chat Blanc landed on her balcony and touched the same ribbon. Three nights since she’d coaxed Adrien to sleep beside her in her small bed and watched him have nightmares she knew it would be no good to wake him from. 

She missed the days they’d had school together. At least then she would have a reason to go check in on him, but she didn’t want to make Gabriel suspicious. She would try to be patient and trust that he would visit again when he could. He was trying to protect her as much as she was trying to protect him. 

She would go to Master Fu tomorrow if Adrien or Chat Blanc didn’t show up before she could get over there. They were running out of time and she knew Hawk Moth would be running out of patience.  
__________________________________

“Well?” Hawk Moth walked a wide circle around his son, watching him flex the sharp silver-tipped claws.

“It’s different than I thought it’d be.” Chat Blanc flinched at his voice. It sounded deeper even to his ears and held more of a rolling growl to the tone. His body felt different too. He was taller and broader and...

His tail twitched and he looked back to see it was a thicker white leather now and studded with dangerous spikes. He swallowed hard and stood, feeling it weigh him down, though that could’ve been his imagination. Spikes similar to the silver tips of his claws lined his wrists and his ankles and ran along the front of his body with the wrapped belt.

“You and Ladybug seem to be falling into close combat everytime you fight,” Hawk Moth mused as he studied his handiwork. “It seemed prudent to give you more protection.”

The thought of one of the spikes tearing across Marinette’s skin had him trying to suppress a visible shudder. She’d been so soft and warm against him the other night. He couldn’t let anything happen to her. “I was holding my own before.”

“Yes, but now you’ll actually be able to defeat her.” Hawk Moth held up his hand and one of the white butterflies settled into it easily. “And now that you’ve let me finish the ritual, we’ll be able to communicate much easier to keep you on task.”

And that was the part he’d been dreading the most. “How do I contact you?” Chat Blanc asked, trying to keep his voice light and curious. 

“We can speak whenever I’m transformed. You’re the first of your kind so we’ll have to figure out some of the connection issues along the way.”

The proud smile his father gave him would’ve been better suited for the day he’d graduated rather than the day he’d finally lost his will. “But you’ve been able to communicate with all of your akumas, right? How am I any different?”

“The spell I laid on your ring gives you a bit of a power-up,” he explained. “And now that it is complete, it will protect you from the power of other Miraculous so Ladybug shouldn’t be able to effectively use a Lucky Charm against you.”

He frowned and his teeth felt too big for his mouth. He wondered if they were spiked now too. “But you were able to akumatize me.”

“Because you willingly accepted it.”

“Oh.”

Hawk Moth pursed his lips. “Perhaps you should go to your room and get some rest. The ritual may have taken some of your energy and I want you in top shape the next time you face Ladybug. You will take her earrings.” His expression softened as he reached out to touch his son’s shoulder. “We’ll have your mother back soon and everything will be as it should be, I promise.”

Chat Blanc nodded, afraid to speak because he wasn’t sure what he would say. He left the lair, forgoing the extravagant lift system to take the stairs back down to the main part of the house. His steps felt heavy and he knew it was his new akumatized form as much as his heart. 

Once in his room, he stood just inside and wished more than anything that Plagg would come out of the ring. He’d been his constant companion for years and it was hard not to have him to talk to anymore. He was tempted to talk just to get it out of his system but he couldn’t know if his father was listening. He wouldn’t chance it.

He trudged across the room to the bathroom and took in a deep breath before going through the door to look into the mirror. His hair had darkened even further and grown out longer and wilder. His eyes were still a glowing magenta and he remembered Marinette’s comment about not liking the color but that they were still his eyes. He hoped she would still be able to say that now. He thought he just looked feral. 

He slid down to the cool tile before he could assess his looks anymore and tried to talk himself out of crying. His father would be able to sense his emotions if he wasn’t careful enough. He needed to be strong. He would be strong. 

He just had to think. He could be smart about this. His father could only communicate with him as Hawk Moth so he would just have to wait until he wasn’t Hawk Moth anymore and then he could get out and warn Marinette. He couldn’t trust business hours since Nathalie knew about Gabriel’s supervillain activities so it would have to be when his father fell asleep. He could wait him out.  
__________________________________

Marinette wasn’t sure what roused her from sleep. Maybe it was the shadow interrupting the moonlight streaming over her bed or maybe it was just intuition. She sat up and rubbed at her eyes and caught a glimpse of glowing pink before it blinked back into darkness.

“Chat?” she whispered, pushing the skylight up and peering out on the balcony with tired eyes. She became more alert as she took in his hunched form, one hand gripping the end of the white ribbon.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered and he sounded utterly broken as Marinette climbed the rest of the way out of her room. “I...I had to do this.”

Her breath caught in her throat as he straightened. He’d grown in size, as a lot of akumas did, and silver spikes glinted all over his body. She couldn’t even hug him now. She covered her mouth, trying to hold in the sob she could feel building in her throat. 

Chat Blanc wouldn’t meet her eyes, his shoulders hunching in once again to make himself seem smaller. “I have a connection to him now,” he said quietly and it came out in a growling sound. “I don’t know if that helps you, but I thought maybe...I thought maybe it would, I guess.”

“Adrien...” she whispered. She reached up to brush hair from his eyes and he froze when her hand drew near. She cupped his cheek, rubbing her thumb along the edge of the white mask and he melted into her touch. 

“I’m so sorry.”

“I’m going to fix this, I promise.”

He audibly swallowed and it was a painful sound. “I don’t have much time. The, uh, the spell he used on my ring, he said it gave me protection against other Miraculous unless I allow them to affect me. At least I think that’s what he meant.”

“So I could use a Lucky Charm on you and it wouldn’t do anything?”

He nodded. “I think so, but anything you try to do to me, I’ll let happen.”

Marinette worried her lip. “Will he know that?”

“Maybe. I don’t know,” he sighed. “I don’t know what to do now.”

“Did he do the spell to his Miraculous?”

Chat Blanc blinked. “I don’t...no, he couldn’t have. He hasn’t changed and he can detransform.”

“And it’d be dangerous,” she muttered with a dark look. “So that means he isn’t protected.”

“That’s not what it means. We’ve fought him hand-to-hand before, my Lady, and he wiped the floor with us. He isn’t helpless. Who do you think taught me fencing before I ever started lessons?”

“But if I can get him as Gabriel--”

“I don’t want you near him,” Chat Blanc growled and a frightening sound rumbled through his chest as his spiked tail lashed out behind him, metal tips clinging against the balcony railing in a menacing staccato.

Marinette tried not to let the fear that his reaction had elicited show through. She rolled her shoulders back and straightened. “You don’t need to protect me, remember? I’m Ladybug. This is my job.”

“And it’s my job to protect you!” he roared, eyes going wide and wild as he loomed over her.

She shrunk back and Chat Blanc stumbled away in shock as Adrien began to peek through again.

“I’m...I’m so sorry,” he whispered, clawed hand coming up to cover his mouth. “Marinette, I don’t...I’m not...”

She swallowed back her anxiety and moved towards him, reaching for his face like she had earlier. He crumpled and shied away from her touch but she kept moving forward until he was huddled against the balcony railing.

“You aren’t going to hurt me,” she said, proud of how calm and confident she sounded when she wasn’t completely certain she knew that for sure. She felt him push against her hand with his cheek and she went down to her knees, keeping a small bubble of safety between herself and the spikes around his waist, ankles, and wrists. “We’re going to beat him and we’re going to fix this,” she assured him. She saw the doubt in eyes that weren’t the right color and very carefully leaned forward and moved the wild dark hair away so she could press a gentle kiss just above his mask. “I promise.”

“I want to believe you.”

“Then you should.”

He finally met her eyes. “I know even alone, you’re strong and capable and the best.” He saw her open her mouth to argue so he quickly continued on. “But I’m not sure you can do this on your own, my Lady, and I don’t want to be the reason you get hurt.”

“I need reinforcements,” she nodded.

“I think that’d be best.” He stiffened and quickly stood, pushing her away roughly so the metal tips didn’t catch against her clothing and skin as he moved quickly. “He’s awake. I have to go.” He lept up onto her railing without a second thought and then was running away.

Marinette watched him leave, feeling her heart crumble. She was tempted to fall apart right there on her balcony but she gathered her pain and resolve like a suit of armor and marched back down to her bedroom. She had a plan to create.


	4. Chapter 4

“This isn’t going to be like fighting any other akuma, is it?” Nino frowned down at his clasped hands. “Adrien knows exactly what’s happening.”

“A blessing and a curse,” Marinette nodded. “I don’t trust that Gabriel didn’t put in some failsafe to make sure Chat Blanc is under his control but for the time being, Adrien seems to be handling it the best he can.”

Chloe hugged herself. “He must be so scared. Being akumatized with a Miraculous is...” She trailed off with a shudder. “It feels different, worse.”

“And this sounds like it’s even more amplified,” Alya added. “So what’s the plan?”

“I’m not sure yet. I know I need help though.”

“And we’re here for you, of course, but this is all feeling really dangerous.” Nino glanced at Alya and Chloe before settling on Marinette. “Are you sure we can do this?”

“We’re all Adrien has,” she replied helplessly. “If not us, then who?”

He shook his head. “It’s not that. You know I’m down to do anything for him. I guess I’m just asking if we’re enough.”

Marinette sighed deeply. “We’re going to have to be. Master Fu wouldn’t let me take any other Miraculous; he didn’t even want me to bring in you guys. He’s afraid Hawk Moth has grown too powerful. He’s talking about leaving Paris with the Miracle Box if we can’t do this.”

“What a coward,” Chloe spat. Pollen rubbed against her cheek in a placating manner. “Who would stop Butt Moth then?”

“He’s just trying to protect them the best he can.” Marinette could hear the doubt in her voice so she knew the others could. “But I was able to bring these to you so there’s that at least. It was difficult to get him to give his up but Wayzz convinced him it was for the greater good.”

Nino ran a comforting finger along his kwami’s head. “Thanks, little buddy.”

“Master Fu’s decisions can sometimes be clouded by past mistakes. I simply pointed out that history doesn’t need to repeat itself,” Wayzz explained.

“We’ve got our Miraculous which is great but now what?” Chloe asked.

“Right now, our current plan is to come up with a plan.” Alya leaned back against the chaise as Trixx curled up on her stomach. “Gotta start somewhere, I guess.” She looked over at her best friend, expression going soft. “We’re going to get him back, Mari.”

Marinette took a clearing breath and nodded. “Yeah, we are.”  
____________________________________________

“We’ll lure Ladybug out tonight.” Hawk Moth held out his hand and a glowing butterfly landed in it. “I’ll send you out with two akumas. Even if she has help, she won’t be able to take them both on and you.” He turned to look at his son. “You’ll take her Miraculous and bring them back to me.”

“And then you’ll leave her alone, no matter who she is,” Chat Blanc pushed in his new growling tone. “No harm comes to her.”

“I’ve already promised.”

“I want to hear it again.”

“Once I bring your mother back, I’ll make sure any damage that has occurred be undone.”

Chat Blanc knew that was the best he was going to get but he still felt uneasy. “What kind of akumas are you going to send?”

“I’m sure I can find some vengeful souls to empower,” his father answered flippantly. “Go ahead out and scout things. Perhaps you can take her down without any assistance.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I’m sure you will. I’ll be watching.”

Chat Blanc held his tongue as he stalked out of the lair.  
____________________________________________

“This all falls apart if Adrien isn’t willing to let us use our powers on him,” Ladybug reminded the group. “We have to be careful not to make it obvious that we’re trying to help him though. Hawk Moth could be watching at any moment.”

“But he also needs to know we are, right? You’re saying if I use Venom on him and he doesn’t want to go down, he just won’t?” Queen Bee frowned. “Venom works on everybody.”

“Not when magic is part of the equation apparently.”

“We’ve got to get a magic user,” Carapace said, staring out over the city. “It would be really awesome.”

Rena Rouge elbowed his side playfully. “You want to be the team mage?”

“Heck yeah. I could be Caramage,” he grinned.

Ladybug tried not to let their lightness get to her. She knew they were worried about Adrien too. It was probably a good thing the whole team wasn’t as tense as she was. She stared out at the dark skyline and a flash of white caught her eye. Her heart leapt into the throat and she tried to swallow the feeling. “He’s out,” she whispered.

Rena Rouge squeezed her hand and stood. “We’ll get in place. This will work, Mari.”

“It has to.” She watched the trio disperse to prepare to put their plan in action and she waited on the rooftop. He would come for her; she was sure of it.

____________________________________________

His senses had always been slightly heightened as Chat Noir but being Chat Blanc was a whole new level of intensity. Within moments, he smelled Nino, Alya, and Chloe on the roof they’d been just before he arrived. He knew if he wanted, he could’ve followed each scent and hunted them down. It scared him that there was a dark, twisted voice in the back of his head urging him to. He ignored it and moved closer to Ladybug.

She stood statue still with her back to him. He could smell her fear, her sweat, her nervousness. It made his stomach roll. He didn’t want to be the reason she smelled like this.

“You knew I would come tonight,” he said, trying to keep his voice soft. He left distance between them as not to scare her further.

“I figured it was time.” She finally turned to look at him. “You warned me I’d have to give you my Miraculous soon.”

He felt his lips pull down into a frown. Her expression was blank and her tone was giving him nothing to go on. She almost sounded robotic, shut down. He didn’t like it. “So you’re going to do it without a fight?” he prodded. “Just giving up, Bugaboo?” At his words, there was a spark in her eyes that he instantly recognized and he felt a small beat of relief. 

Ladybug pointedly released her yoyo from around her waist and held it at the ready. “Come on, Kitty, you know me better than that.”   
____________________________________________

Marinette worriedly glanced out from behind the short brick wall. They’d taken one akuma down but the other one was proving to be more difficult than she’d anticipated. It didn’t help that Chat Blanc was moving in at every opportunity to knock one of the heroes back when they got too close. She knew he was only playing the part he had to but it was still unnerving to watch him fight them.

“I’m sorry, Marinette. I’m hurrying.” Tikki nibbled on a cookie and flitted out to look over her holder’s shoulder.

“I don’t know if we’re going to be able to keep this up. Everyone’s getting too drained.” She watched Carapace disappear down an alley and knew his time was up. He’d been providing a shield for Rena Rouge and Queen Bee to fight behind when the second akuma began flinging poison goop at them. 

“If this doesn’t work, Hawk Moth may try to send three out next time, or more!” Tikki warned. “We need to take this one down tonight.” She took one last bite and swallowed loudly. “I’m ready.”

She called up her transformation once more and ran out to join the battle. She thought about how tired Adrien must be staying transformed like that. It had to be taking a toll. 

“Are you ready?” she called to Queen Bee as she got near. 

“Just waiting on your signal.” Queen Bee yelled out as the akuma managed to get in close enough to burn her with its acidic goop while she was distracted. She quickly fell back as Rena Rouge stepped in and knocked the akuma back with her flute.

“Hey, Chaton!” Ladybug leapt up on a chimney so she could look down at the tussle. Magenta eyes immediately found hers and they widened before narrowing in an angry mask. “I have to say, white is definitely not your color. Sorry if that stings but facts are facts. I like you in black much better.”

He stared back at her in confusion. He wasn’t sure what to make of what she was saying. Was he supposed to follow her up to the chimney? He was about to move forward when he caught Queen Bee creeping closer behind him. He looked up at Ladybug quickly and she gave him the smallest nod. Chat Blanc took a deep breath and thought about letting Queen Bee use Venom on him. There was a quick sting and then the world went sideways as he fell.  
____________________________________________

“...until he’s awake.”

“Then wake him up.”

“We don’t know what kind of shape he’ll be in.”

“Or if Hawk Moth will be in control.”

Chat Blanc groaned as he became more aware. His head felt like it might split open at any moment. There was a persistent nagging in the back of his mind and he instantly knew it was his father trying to get in contact with him. He imagined closing a door on the sound and it died away.

“Hey, are you back with us?”

He blinked once, twice, three times and then Ladybug’s face swam into focus. She was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. “You’re okay,” he croaked.

“More or less. That akuma was no joke.” She cupped his cheek. “How do you feel?”

“Like I got run over by every bus in Paris.” He turned his head slightly to see Queen Bee standing at the ready to sting him again. “You’re scary.”

“Thank you,” she preened.

He tried to fight past the fog in his head. “Not that I don’t appreciate the kidnapping, but now what?”

“Now we try to finish Plan A,” Ladybug answered.

“And what is Plan A?”

“Most of it was taking out those akumas and getting you here,” Carapace answered from across the room.

“And the rest?”

Ladybug gave him a steady look. “You’re an akuma; I cleanse you.”

He stared at her for a long minute and heard a snort from behind her. Rena Rouge stepped into view and crossed her arms. “Yeah, we thought it sounded too simple to work too but she’s led us through it all this far. May as well give it a try if you’re up for it, Sunshine. You know we aren’t going to give you up without a fight.”

He met Ladybug’s eyes. “I trust you,” he said softly. “Do whatever you have to do.”  
____________________________________________

Adrien rose to awareness slowly. He felt stiff and his head was pounding but there was a comforting warmth against this side. He forced his eyes open and found Marinette curled up against him, an arm and a leg thrown over him as if she was trying to hold him as close as she possibly could.

It took him a minute or so to finally tear his attention away from her enough to realize he wasn’t transformed anymore. The clothes he’d been wearing the night his father finished the ritual replaced the white leather and he had the distinct feeling that he was in desperate need of a shower.

“How do you feel?” Alya’s voice was low and it took Adrien a few moments to find her in the darkened room. He didn’t recognize the layout and realized he had no idea where he was. Alya was sitting in an armchair across from the bed. There was something generic about the room and he gathered they must be in a hotel. 

“LIke crap,” he groaned.

“But you’re Adrien?”

He swallowed hard before he let out a raspy chuckle. “Yeah, I’m Adrien.” He tried to shift and Marinette made a small sleepy noise of protest, moving in closer to him. “How...”

Alya stood and stretched and walked closer to the bed, leaning against the wall. “It took her hours. Tikki had to keep recharging and they’d start again but they were finally able to strip away the curse on your ring. We’ve been taking turns keeping watch to make sure you guys stayed safe.”

“Plagg?”

“Sleeping with the others. He’s pretty drained but Wayzz says he’ll be okay.”

Adrien felt a little tension ease away. “That’s good. Thank you.”

She watched him for a few long seconds. “How are you?”

“That’s a loaded question.”

“I’m aware.” A sad smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I know I’m better off with her, with all of you.” He adjusted his arm so he could hold Marinette closer and she sighed happily.

“We’re going to take him down; we have to.”

Adrien thought of his father. He wondered if he was worried about him or just angry he had failed. The fact that he honestly didn’t know left him feeling a little numb. There was also the feeling that he might’ve just given up the only chance he had to see his mother again. “I know.”

Alya smiled at him. “It’s really good to have you back. We missed you. The team definitely isn’t the same without you.”

“Thanks.” He yawned and his eyes felt heavy. He blearily watched Alya retreat back to her post at the armchair as sleep pulled at him. He pressed his lips sleepily to the top of Marinette’s head and let the darkness pull him under. With her by his side, it wasn’t nearly as scary this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading! This was a nice, quick story to do and I enjoyed getting to explore the possibility of Chat Blanc. :)


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